Samajwadi Party state, district execs dissolved
LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav dissolved on Friday the state and district executives of the party. The move is being seen as a step to gear up the party cadre for the by-election for 13 assembly seats soon and 2022 assembly elections. He also disbanded the youth organizations of the party, including the student body and the women organisation. The national and state presidents of all the cells were also removed.
In a press statement, Akhilesh said the state and district executives of the party had been dissolved. However, state president Naresh Uttam Patel will continue on the post, he added. Both Akhilesh Yadav and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav met party leaders and office bearers in the SP state unit office on Thursday. Talking to the media persons, Akhilesh said, “the overhaul of the organization was a routine process”.
A senior party leader, however, said the party president took the decision to rejig the party for the coming electoral battle.
“The new committees will be constituted soon. Young, committed and hardworking leaders will be made in-charge of the youth wings, district and state executives,” he said.
The move comes a few days after party’s three Rajya Sabha MPs -- Neeraj Shekhar, Surendra Singh Nagar, and Sanjay Seth-crossed over to the BJP. After the Lok Sabha polls jolt, Akhilesh had sacked party panelists for TV channels debates.
Political experts feel the party needed to restructure the organization ahead of the by-elections which are due this winter and brace up for 2022 assembly elections. Akhilesh faced the criticism for his decision to join hands with arch rival BSP chief Mayawati for the Lok Sabha elections, in which the SP vote share dipped from 22.35% (2014) to 17.96% (2019). Akhilesh had taken over the reins of the party in January 2017 after a tussle with his uncle Shivpal Yadav. The tussle had even reached the EC during the 2017 assembly polls but Akhilesh succeeded in retaining the leadership of the party.